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6 tips for college preparation – applying, FAFSA

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Fall is the time for college preparation! Have you got a child in 11th or 12th grade?(updated June 2022)College preparation at the end of high school includes planning, tips, and checklists. Entrance tests, applications, financial aid, and more!

I’ve counseled young folks in high school through the maze of applying for college. I’m sharing my advice for them. (Do you have a child in middle school (ages 11-13)? Part 3 is for middle school preparing for college!)

Grades and exam scores for college preparation

First, keep studying! Don’t be that student that completes graduation requirements and wants to enjoy senior year by taking it easy. Keeping your grade point average up is still important!

Many colleges and universities require a college entrance exam test score for application, usually SAT or ACT. Register to take these tests in the fall (juniors should take the PSAT in the fall and SAT in the spring.) The SAT has been revised: the tests are Reading, Writing and Language, Math, and Essay. These are SAT registration and test dates and these are ACT lists registration deadlines and test dates, along with practice information.  These tests require a registration fee so be sure to check with your school’s guidance counselors if that is a problem for your family. Be sure to check your desired colleges’ test requirements and how to have your test scores sent to those colleges.

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College preparation for applications

Check with your guidance counselor about how to get official transcripts. It’s good to let your counselor know early if you plan to apply to college. You will also have to check the colleges’ website to find out how they want you to submit the transcripts. You may also need or want recommendation letters from adults who know you well, so ask them before school starts or as early as possible. A teacher or other adult will want your resumé and the exact address information to include in the letter. Some colleges will want the letters to be enclosed in a sealed envelope and signed across the seal. Others will want the recommendations to be entered on a secure website they provide.

Do you want to apply early decision or early action? I recommend that you choose 3 to 5 colleges to apply to, but you may have a favorite that is truly your first choice (applying this way usually means that you plan to commit to the college if accepted and not apply to any other schools). Early decision or early action deadlines usually fall in October and November, so be sure to check in late summer to get all the pieces of your application ready.

You will find that most colleges have an application fee that must be paid when you apply. This could limit your number of schools. Talk to family members and your guidance counselor if you need help with application fees. You can save some time by looking into the Common Application, the Universal Common Application, or the Coalition Application. The Common Application is used by over 700 colleges, the UCA is used by less than 25, and the Coalition is being accepted by 113 schools in 2017.

Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Another college preparation step to take is to sign up for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid.) Most college students receive financial aid either as scholarships or loans. Most colleges require your family to sign up for FAFSA to be automatically considered for need-based or other scholarships. You will have to create an FSA ID. You will use your ID all through college when entering your family’s financial information, apply for financial aid, and review your records. Parents or guardians also need their own FSA ID using their own email address.  Once you receive your FSA ID, you’ll be ready to start your FAFSA. The application is open October 1. Each state has different deadlines for signing up, but my advice is to complete it by January of senior year as possible. You can look at a pdf of the FAFSA form here.

There’s a lot more to discuss about preparing for college. Next we’ll talk about choosing colleges and the costs of college. Good luck!

Resource links for college preparation

College preparation at the end of high school includes planning, tips, and checklists. Entrance tests, applications, financial aid, and more!

plumeria barAffiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.


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College planning series

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I’ve counseled young folks in middle and high school through the maze of applying for college. I’m sharing my advice for them with this college planning series.College planning posts for middle and high school students. Download free checklist, cost calculation, and career interest worksheets. Resource links!

These college planning posts are for middle and high school students and their families. Be sure to download the free college planning checklist, cost calculation, and career interest worksheets. And I’m including some interesting resource links!College planning posts for middle and high school students. Download free checklist, cost calculation, and career interest worksheets. Resource links!

College planning posts

Resource links for college planning

College planning posts for middle and high school students. Download free checklist, cost calculation, and career interest worksheets. Resource links!

And for more reading…

Here are some resources that will be helpful to your family while preparing for college

I’ll be looking for comments below, or contact me at lisa[at]casabouquet[dot]com.horizontal bar with plumeria

Disclaimer: All information provided on this site is for entertainment purposes only. Using any information from thecasabouquet.com is at your own risk.

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

College planning – Part 3 middle schoolers

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Even in middle school, you need a college checklist. College planning needs to start before you start 9th grade so you can meet high school graduation requirements and college admission requirements. I’ve counseled many young people through the maze of applying for college. I’m sharing my tips for college planning for them. See Part 1 and Part 2 of this series for 11th and 12th graders.Preparing for college needs to start in 6th grade. Explore careers, high school planning, and post-secondary options. Use these tips for college planning.

Check high school graduation requirements
Check college admission requirements

Taking the right classes in high school is a key step for preparing for college. You need to look up the high school graduation requirements for your state and make sure you take the right classes. Take the time to get to know your guidance counselor so you can get help and advice.

You also need to look up the college admissions requirements for some of the colleges you are thinking about. It’s very possible that high school requirements are not exactly the same as college requirements.

  • For example, in North Carolina, you need 4 English, 4 Math, 3 Science, 4 Social Studies, 1 Health/PE, and 6 electives to graduate from high school.
  • The state university system minimum requirements are 4 English, 4 Math (with specific courses), 2 Foreign Language, 3 Science (with specific courses), and 2 Social Studies (with specific courses).

You can see that the two lists are not the same! You will need to get started right in 9th grade, or even in middle school.

Minimum requirements are just that, minimum. You can look up the “student profile” at universities you are considering to see what kind of classes accepted students took in high school. For a very competitive major such as electrical engineering, you may need to take 4 years of science, 4 years of math (including calculus), and it’s highly likely you need 3 to 5 Advanced Placement (AP) courses to win a spot in the program.

Be sure to ask your guidance counselor about Honors and AP offerings at your school. Some students I know did not have calculus or physics offered at their rural high school. They found out they could take those courses online from a state university or they could get permission to go to the local community college during the school day to get those credits.horizontal bar with plumeria

Sign up for a 529 savings plan

Ask your parents to check out your state’s 529 savings plan. There are possible tax benefits and many states allow you to use the money no matter what or where your postsecondary schooling is. Set it up as soon as possible and you can build up your college fund by depositing gifts and money you make from working.

Identify your interests for college planning

Start thinking about what possible careers you might like to have. The career you want will help you decide what your college major should be. The college major you choose will help you decide where you should apply for college. Many careers require you to take more classes after high school, but the classes could be available at a technical or trade school, community college, or in the military.

To start exploring, you can take a test to help you identify your main interests and personality. Then you can explore careers that fit your interests. Use this printable to see some of the questions to ask your self. Ask your guidance counselor about possible tests you can take, such as Holland Code or Career Key. Your interests could change as you take more classes, so think about taking the interest tests a couple times between 6th and 11th grade.

Download career interests printable

Preparing for college needs to start in 6th grade. Explore careers, high school planning, and post-secondary options. Use these tips for college planning.Explore possible careers

Once you know your interests, you can explore careers that match with your interests. Many lists of careers also list interests or the Holland Codes. For example:

Career Holland Codes
Building contractor Realistic, Conventional
Electrical engineer Investigative, Realistic
Chiropractor Investigative, Realistic, Artistic

Choosing career possibilities will help you to find what you would like your college major to be.

Explore salaries and job projections

Each state has websites that help you to find what salaries are typical for different jobs or occupations. In addition, job projections will tell you which occupations are most likely to need more employees by the time you graduate from college. Jobs with the most annual openings can include retail sales, administrative assistants, and registered nurses. In your state, you may need to look for the Department of Labor or Commerce. See the Resource Links below for websites to help you explore job projections.

horizontal bar with plumeriaExplore options after high school

As you plan what to do after high school graduation, you have many options for college planning. There are business and trade schools (such as cosmetology or truck driving); community college, where you can do your first two years of college or earn credits in a vocational or technical program; apprenticeship in a skilled occupation; a four-year degree from a college or university; and, training in the military. Colleges vary widely on costs. Usually a community college or trade school will cost less than a state university. A state university will cost less than a private or out-of-state university.

Résumés and keeping track of your accomplishments

When you apply to college, you may need a résumé as part of the application. A résumé is a summary and showcase of your education, experiences, and accomplishments. You need to keep a record of your education, activities, and jobs during high school. Colleges will be looking for awards and honors you receive, your clubs (band, Spanish club, etc.), and outside-school activities, such as church or community service.

This post was featured on Marilyn’s Treats!

 

Do you have a child in high school? Check out Part 1 and Part 2 in this preparing for college series. I’ll be looking for questions in the comments below or contact me at lisa[at]casabouquet[dot]com.horizontal bar with plumeria

Resource links for college planning

Affiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.

College preparation II major, career, scholarships

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College preparation during 11th and 12th grade can be so difficult for families. I’ve counseled many young folks in high school through the maze of applying for college. I’m sharing my college tips for them. See Part 1 here for tips on early decision, official transcripts, college entrance exams, and FAFSA. There are even more resources in the college planning series!College preparation at the end of high school includes choosing a major, calculating expenses, and applying for scholarships. College planning worksheets.

Choose colleges

The college athletic foundations are doing their jobs. I can’t tell you how many students tell me their first-choice college based on a football or basketball team they love (occasionally baseball!). As part of your college preparation, you need to be thinking about the career you would like to have and what college majors can get you to that career. Each university has a list of academic departments and the degrees they have for undergraduates.

For instance, my young friend M had a summer internship with a chef in a nice restaurant and is very interested in nutrition. So she wanted to major in food science. However, not many colleges have a food science department. So she had to brainstorm other related fields (Google can be helpful) and look for majors at other schools that could still lead to her possible food careers. Nutrition, food chemistry, public health, hospitality management, hotel administration, and hospitality & tourism all are possible majors for her interests.

Another young friend wanted to be a veterinarian, so she insisted that she had to go to a university with a veterinary college. However, vet school is a graduate program (as are medical school and law school.) She first needs to get an undergraduate degree that gives her a strong biology and physical science background so she can be competitive when it’s time to apply for vet school. Very few universities have vet schools. She has a lot more choices of colleges that have a life science degree.

The first step for this part of college preparation is go to a university website.

  • Look for a link called Academics (you might have to click Current Students first).
  • Then look for a link to Undergraduate majors or degrees or you may have to go to each Department. A degree will be labeled with a B, such as BA (Bachelor of Arts), BS (Bachelor of Science), or BSBA (Bachelor of Science in Business Administration.)
  • OR you can try using the search box on the front page of the university site and type in “undergraduate majors.”

Other information you might need to make your decision: how many students do they have in that undergraduate major?; how many faculty are in the department?; do they give data on job placement of their graduates? I recommend that you apply to 3 to 5 schools. If you have an absolute favorite first choice, you can apply early decision or early action (deadlines are usually in October or November.)

College to future career

Once you graduate from college, you will need a job! Hiring managers for bigger companies look to hire students from “name” universities. Parents may wonder if they pay $43,000 per year versus $9,700 per year for tuition, will there be a good return on the investment in the student’s education? When hiring, a business may look at the student’s internships, work experience, leadership experience, and the student’s college’s national rankings in discipline (what they majored in). Study abroad can help you stand out with companies looking for global outlook. You need to ask what companies have visited campus to do recruiting. “Talent acquisition” staff from industry may not ever visit students at smaller schools.plumeria bar

 

Sign up for FAFSA

Another college preparation step to take is to sign up for FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid.) Most college students receive financial aid either as scholarships or loans. Even if you do not want to get a loan, most colleges require your family to sign up for FAFSA to be automatically considered for need-based or other scholarships. The application period begins October 1, and I recommend completing this by January of senior year if possible (FAFSA deadlines).

College costs

Colleges vary widely on costs. Usually a community college or trade school will cost less than a state university. A state university will cost less than a private or out-of-state university. Make a spreadsheet or chart to find the cost of the colleges you like. The answers might help you narrow down where you apply.

You can use this printable to help you with this analysis for college preparation.

Go to each university web site and search for “tuition” or “financial” or “expenses”. This information may be in the Admissions section of the site or Financial Aid or Cashiers office. Costs will include:

  • tuition (are you in-state or out-of-state?);
  • fees;
  • books (the national average is $1250/year!);
  • supplies (laptop, dorm outfitting, school supplies);
  • housing (residence hall or apartment?);
  • food (many colleges require freshmen to purchase a dining hall meal plan);
  • transportation (getting around college town and transportation home for holidays – will you need plane tickets?);
  • and personal money (clothing, entertainment, drug store).
  • Double check if the numbers are per semester (you’ll have to multiply by 2) or annual.

Do this for each university you are considering and compare the totals. You can save with: an in-state school; a school close to home (no plane tickets); living at home. Now it’s time to have a serious discussion with your family. If money is tight, some of my students have benefitted from including the extended family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, in the money conversation. Be sure to go to the US Department of Education’s Net Price Calculator to find your schools and calculate how much other students like you actually pay for college.

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Find scholarships for college preparation

Once accepted, many students have to take a student loan to pay for college. Be cautious in borrowing. A good rule of thumb is to estimate what your salary might be in your chosen career and don’t borrow more than that amount. For example, an aerospace engineer might make $100,000 or more per year while a first year public school teacher in NC might make about $35,000.

Hopefully, you will qualify for scholarships, which do not have to be paid back. First, look at your university’s financial aid website. They will list scholarship opportunities that are unique for your school. Some of the big ones require you to be nominated by your high school during your senior year (a good reason to meet with your guidance counselor at the very beginning of the school year). [For example, in North Carolina, UNC-Chapel Hill has the Morehead Scholars and NC State has the Park and Goodnight Scholars.]

You may also find that there are scholarship possibilities depending on your major, your hometown, or your parent’s employer. I know not everyone can go to schools like MIT, Stanford, or Harvard. But many students who have the abilities to get accepted receive generous scholarship packages and pay affordable amounts to attend.

Think about the scholarship search as though it is your job. You need to spend quality time working on this during your senior year. Search online, but also check with your guidance counselor for possibilities. You may need to achieve several small scholarships to get the money you need for college.

Scholarships

Do you have a child in middle school (ages 11-13)? Here’s Part 3 for middle school preparing for college! Here’s the college preparation series landing page.  I’ll be looking for questions in the comments below or contact me at lisa[at]thecasabouquet[dot]com.

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Resource links – college preparation

College preparation at the end of high school includes choosing a major, calculating expenses, and applying for scholarships. College planning worksheets.

 

plumeria barAffiliate links: if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.


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Sharing posts from 2015 year in review

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I began blogging in March 2015. For New Year’s, I thought it would be fun to reflect on how far I’ve come with Casa Bouquet and share 2015 year in review. I’m sharing some of the top posts for 2015. This has been a lot of hard work, but I am so happy and grateful for my readers and the community of bloggers.Reflecting on how far I've come with Casa Bouquet and share 2015 year in review, I'm sharing some of the top posts for 2015.

apple-battery11 fruit battery activities for kids was my first round up of science activities from the Internet. I added my own ideas for how to do inquiry with apple or lemon batteries, too!

 

 

 

 

arbonne-mascaraMy dear friend, Michelle, has guest-posted for me twice. Her 3 must-haves for beauty – Arbonne was a big hit. It’s fun to find out how to use products and how they actually work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

lulus-viewI just love Hawaii and it was so much fun to write 8 Oahu breakfast spots. The Gardener and I love to watch sunrise and start the day with some excellent local flavors.

 

 

 

 

6-self-help - 46 books for life transitions was my first Culture post about books. It was a challenge to write because the message in books is so personal to me. I enjoy sharing how these books have helped me.

 

 

 

tropical G office panoramaMakeover: From junk room to office was a huge project with my friend Kathleen. She is a talented designer and her work with me on my office was life changing! If you check out the whole series, you can learn how to make roman shades and pinch pleat drapes!

Preparing for college at the end of high school includes planning, tips, and checklists. Entrance tests, applications, financial aid, and more!I loved working with middle and high school students to achieve the dream of college. 6 tips for preparing for college has my best advice for resources and steps children and families should take to work through the difficult maze of choosing and applying to college. You may like Part 2 and the tips for middle school also.

 

 

 

 

I hope you’ll check out these posts if you missed them and spend some time exploring my other posts.

I’d love to hear about highlights of your year!horizontal bar with plumeria

Affiliate links:  if you make a purchase using these links, I’ll receive a small compensation towards maintaining this blog, at no extra cost to you.